Simon Cowell is stepping away from “America’s Got Talent” for a routine back surgery, six years after he nearly lost his ability to walk in a serious bike accident.
Kenan Thompson will fill in as a guest judge on the show while Cowell recovers.
What happened to Simon Cowell?
In August 2026, Cowell announced he would step away from AGT season 21 to undergo another back surgery. A rep for Cowell told Entertainment Weekly, “Obviously, medical matters are private, but it’s routine, and he will be back in a few weeks.”
Cowell’s chair remained empty during the August 25 live show, with Howie Mandel, Sofia Vergara, and Mel B judging as a trio. No exact return date has been announced. His latest surgery comes six years after a serious bike accident left him with a broken back.
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His 2020 bike accident
In August 2020, Cowell was at his Malibu home testing a new electric bike when he fell and broke his back, per People. He shared on Instagram at the time, “Some good advice … If you buy an electric trail bike, read the manual before you ride it for the first time. I have broken part of my back. Thank you to everyone for your kind messages.”
During a June 2021 appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Cowell described how the accident happened. “In a weird way, it was kind of meant to happen because I was really pushing my luck. I was buying these crazy, crazy bikes and this particular bike I bought had so much power, I was thrown about eight feet in the air, landed on my back,”he said.
“I knew I’d broken my back in that second, and somehow managed to get back into my bedroom,” Cowell continued. “I’m lying in my bed, and covered in blood, waiting for the ambulance.”
Cowell underwent a five-hour surgery to repair the damage, which included multiple spinal fusions and a metal rod. The accident happened in the middle of AGT season 15, forcing Cowell to miss the live shows.
His recovery had more setbacks along the way, he experienced pain while playing soccer with his son even after thinking his bones had healed and in February 2022, he broke his arm falling off an e-bike in London, as per People. Still, Cowell hasn’t stopped riding e-bikes. He told Today in 2023, “I’m still gonna stay on my bike. I’m obsessed with these things.”
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Who is taking his place?
AGT confirmed on Instagram on August 28 that Kenan Thompson would join as a guest judge for the third round of quarterfinals on September 1, sitting alongside Mandel, Vergara, and Mel B. This isn’t Thompson’s first time filling in for Cowell, he previously served as a guest judge in August 2020 after Cowell’s bike accident, joining Mandel, Vergara, and then-judge Heidi Klum.
Thompson, 48, has been a Saturday Night Live cast member since 2003 and is the longest-tenured cast member in the show’s history.